Death

The theme of death is, of course, central to the poem. It was written in the memory of a young girl who had recently died at the young age of fourteen. Elizabeth Drury’s death, however, is not depicted in any detail in the text of the poem. Instead, it becomes a philosophical focal point for Donne’s reflections on the nature of life in this flawed world. The poem is not about mourning Elizabeth. It is about using the fact of her death, and the natural sense of tragedy that ensues from the untimely demise of such a young and apparently well-loved person, to make the philosophical arguments that Donne wishes to express more clear to the audience.

But what are those arguments? Donne is a Christian writer. In fact, he is largely known for his devotional poetry, which takes a passionate, often quasi-erotic approach...